Shelf attachment



Feb. 9, 1937. LEVIEN 2,070,055

SHELF ATTACHMENT I Filed June 18, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I I INVEN TOR. L001; Zez/zen WWW m ATTORNEYS Feb. 9, 1937. LEV|EN 2,070,055

SHELF ATTACHMENT Filed June 18', 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 1 INVENTOR.

m. I Y I Z0065 Zew'en 5 6 4 BY M ATTORNEYS Patented Feb. 9, 1937 srar FAFEN FFIE SHELF ATTACHIMENT Application June 18, 1935, Serial No. 27,168

7 Claims.

My invention relates to a new and improved shelf attachment.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide an attachment for the shelf of a refrigerator whereby more convenient access can be provided to the articles which are located in the refrigerator.

Another object of my invention is to provide an attachment which is slidable and/or turnable and which may be conveniently connected to the shelf of a refrigerator. My improved device can be sold separately and it can be attached to or mounted on a refrigerator shelf in a very simple and convenient manner.

Other objects of my invention will be set forth in the following description and drawings, which illustrate a preferred embodiment thereof, it being understood that the above general statement of the objects of my invention is intended genorally to illustrate the same, but without limiting it in any manner.

Fig. l is a plan View illustrating one embodiment of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 showing the tray in its outer position.

Fig. 6 is a bottom plan view on the line t-t of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a longitudinal section of the slide member.

The drawings generally show a refrigerator casing l and a conventional wire shelf 2. A slide 3 is slidably mounted upon the upper surface of the shelf 2. The slide 3 may be stamped or otherwise made from any suitable metal. The slide 3 may be of flat planar shape, and it is provided with downwardly bent lugs 4 and 5 which can be located between a pair of the rigid wires of the wire shelf 2.

The lugs t and 5 may fit loosely or more or less snugly between a pair of wires of the Wire shelf 2, in order to provide a sliding fit. As shown in Fig. 6, one of the wires of the shelf fits fairly snugly between flange S of slide 3 and the lateral edges of lugs t and 5, thus providing an efficient guide for the longitudinal sliding movement of member 3.

The slide 3 is provided at one longitudinal edge thereof with a downwardly bent edge portion 6. This edge portion 6 may be planar and vertical and it may contact slidably with one of the wires of shelf 2. If desired, said edge portion 8 may be bent around one of said wires, so as to have sliding contact. The slide 3 may be made of bendable sheet metal if desired, so that the lugs i and 5 may be bent downwardly to the positions shown in the drawings when the slide 3 is mounted on the shelf. Likewise, the 1ongitu dinal guide portion 6 can be bent into the desired position, after the slide 3 has been placed upon or assembled with the shelf. Said guide flange 6 can be bent inwardly, so as to slidably surround a wire of the shelf, and two such flanges 6 can be provided. Hence the slide 3 can be made and shipped in substantially planar form.

If desired, I can provide any suitable number of pairs of the lugs 4 and 5.

At its front lateral edge, the slide 3 is provided with a downwardly bent flange 1, which serves as a hand-hold in order to facilitate the outward pulling of the slide 3. Said flange I also acts as a stop to limit the inward movement of the slide 3.

As shown in Fig. 6, the front part of the slide 3 is provided with a longitudinal slot ll). A tray member l2, having a flange or flanges I3, is turnably mounted upon a stud 9, having a head whose diameter exceeds the width of the slot [0. A member 9a is detachably connected to the bottom of the stud 9, so that the stud 9 can be slidably assembled with the slide 3.

The sliding movement of the tray 3 is limited by the ends of the slot H), which may be of any desired length.

Ball-bearings H are provided at each side of the stud 9. As shown in Fig. 5, the balls II are retained in any suitable holder. The underside of tray 52 is provided with a bearing-plate which rests on balls H, so that an anti-friction support is provided for the turning movement of tray 12. Any anti-friction support may be used, such as a washer, etc. Hence, it requires very little force to move tray l2 inwardly and outwardly, and to turn it. The balls contact with a plate I la, which may be slightly spaced from or in siidable contact with member 3.

The shelf 2 is mounted upon any suitable supports 8. If desired, the slide 3 can be clamped to the shelf 2, by means of a clamping plate l5 which engages the lower surfaces of two or more wires of the shelf 2.

A screw or bolt it has its threaded shank passing through an internally threaded opening of the clamping plate l5. When the screw or bolt is is turned, the head of said screw [6 engages the upper surface of the slide 3, and the turning of the screw or bolt l6 causes the clamping plate to move upwardly.

Any suitable number of dishes M can be supported on the tray !2.

When the door of the refrigerator is closed, the device is in the position shown in Fig. 1. In order to use the device, the slide 3 can be pulled to its full outer position as shown in Fig. 5 or to any intermediate position.

If desired, the slide 3 can be held in its full or partial outer position, by means of the members l5 and it.

If desired, the member 3 can be fixed to the wire shelf, since a practical device can be secured if the tray [2 is slidably and turnably mounted, as previously indicated.

As shown in Fig. 4, the member 3 can be located wholly within the refrigerator, and the tray l2 can be slid so that it projects partially beyond the opening in the front wall of the refrigerator. The tray if can then be turned on the stud 9, thus providing easy access to the various dishes M.

It is clear that the bolt or screw it; can be adjusted so that plate l5 makes sliding contact with wires 2, so that the slide 3 can be pulled outwardly, without being tilted by the weight of tray !2 and dishes Hi. If the flange 5 is bent around a wire of the shelf, it prevents any tilting of slide 3 relative to the shelf.

For example, the tray l2 may be located below the wire shelf, by using a support having a depending stud for turnably supporting said tray.

Hence whenever I refer to the side of the shelf in the claims, I refer either to the upper side or the lower side. I do not wish to be limited to the use of the slot iii, in certain aspects of the inven tion.

I have shown a preferred embodiment of my invention but it is clear that numerous changes and omissions can be made without departing from its spirit.

I claim:

1. An attachment for a shelf comprising a support which is adapted to be mounted on said shelf tray-supporting means slidably connected to said support, said tray-supporting means including anti-friction means, a plate which is slidable relative to said support and which contacts with said anti-friction means, and a tray turnably mounted on said tray-supporting means and resting upon said anti-friction means, so that said anti-friction means operate during the turning of the tray upon the tray-support.

2. In combination with a shelf, a support adapted to be connected to the shelf, a stud, antifriction means associated with said stud and resting upon the upper surface of said support, a tray turnably mounted upon said stud and resting upon said anti-friction means, said support having a slot, and a member located at the underside of said support and having a shank which extends through said slot and which is connected to said stud.

3. In combination with a shelf, a support slidable relative to said shelf and having guide means cooperating with said shelf, a fastening member located at one side of said shelf, means adjustably connecting said fastening member to said support and behind the front edge of said support, said support having a slot therein, said slot being closed at the ends thereof, a stud perpendicular to said support, anti-friction means associated with said stud and spaced from the adjacent surface of said support, a member located at one side of said support and having a shank which extends through said slot and which is connected to said stud, said stud having a tray turnably mounted thereon and resting turnably upon said anti-friction means.

4. In combination with a shelf, a support located at a side of said shelf, said support having a slot which is closed at both ends thereof, a stud slidably mounted in said slot, said support being adjustable on the shelf, and a tray turnably mounted on the stud, means holding said tray spaced from said support.

5. In combination with a shelf, a support located at the upper side of said shelf, said support having a slot which is closed at both ends thereof, a stud slidably mounted in said slot, said support being adjustable on the shelf, and a tray turnably mounted on the stud, means holding said tray spaced from the support, and means adapted to hold said support from tilting relative to said shelf.

6. In combination with a shelf which has spaced longitudinal wires, a support slidably mounted on the upper side of said shelf, said support having aligned and depending lugs which are located between a pair of said wires, said support also having a depending flange located close to a longitudinal edge of said wires so that said wire guides the sliding movement of said support in a substantially longitudinal direction, and a tray turnably connected to said support, means holding said tray spaced from said support.

7. In combination with a shelf which has spaced longitudinal wires, a support slidably mounted at the upper side of said shelf, said support having depending guide means which engage said shelf, a tray, means holding said tray spaced from and turnable relative to said support, additional means connected to said support and spaced from the underside of said support and slidably engaging the bottom surfaces of said wires to limit the tilting of the support relative to the wires.

LOUIS LEVIEN. 

